Feeding device.



G. W. SWIFT, JR.-

FEEDING DEVICE. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 17, 1908'. RENEWED NOVZ ZO, 1909.

Patented July 12, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

NMNIN G; W. SWIFT, JR.

FEEDING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17, 1908. RENEWED NOV. 20, 1909.

Patented J uly 12, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIGIC INVENTOR:

J M w a GEORGE w. swir'r, an, or BORDENTOWN, NEW JERSEY.

FEEDING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 12 ram.

Application filed August 17, 1908, Serial Eta-448,959. Renewed November20, 1909. Serial No. 529,095.

To all whom "it-may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon W. SWIFT, J r., of Bordentown, in the countyof-Burlington and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Feeding Devices, whereof the following 1s aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My improvement relates ,to mechanism arranged to efiect the intermittentprogressive movement of a web of paper or other flexible fabric which itis desired to intermittently print, perforate, notch, or otherwisemodify at successive equal intervals of its length; said intervals beingdetermined by the extent of each progressive movement of the web, withrespect to the modifying means.

As hereinafter described, my invention may be advantageously employed tofeed a web which is of different thicknesses in different regions; forinstance, a substantially plane web formed by a collapsed paper tube,from which series of bags or envelops may be formed; said web havingthree thicknesses of the fabric Where the latter is overlapped at itsmedial longitudinal region; two thicknesses of fabric elsewherethroughout the tube; and a single thickness of the fabric where oneofthe opposed plane walls of the tube is cut away to form closure flaps ofthe remaining single thickness.

The form, of my invention hereinafter described, comprises two parallelshaft-s capable of continuous rotation and relative movement toward andaway from each other, and carrying cylindrical feed rolls opposed toeach other to grip the web ,between them; one of said shafts beingprovided with cams having high portions of variable circumferentialextent at the opposite ends of its cylindrical feed roll, arranged toencounter the opposed cylinder carried by the other shaft, and separatesaid feed rolls so they do not grip the web during the passage of saidhigh portions; whereby, the length of the web gripped and progressed bysaid feed rolls at each revolution is variably determined by thecircumferential extent of the high portions of said cams.

My improved feeding mechanism may be employed in cooperative relationwith af' press ada ted to modify a web, as above contemplate at uniformmtervals of time, and,

respondence with the predetermined length l of the feeding movements ofsaid rolls, so

that the distance between said two devices bears aliquot relation to theextent of said individually successive feeding movements. In otherwords, in the latter case, the feedmg and pressing devices must besusceptible of variable correlation, both as to their time of operationand as to their relative location. My invention comprises the variousnovel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter moredefinitely specified. In the accompanyin drawings; Figure I is va sideelevation o mechanism convenlently embodying my invention. Fig. II is anelevation of said mechanism, as seen from the right side of Fi I. Fi IIIis a central vertical sectiona view 0 one of the adjustable cams, takenon the line III, III, in Flg. I. Fig. IV 15 a plan sectional View,

tive view of the roller sector, shown in Fig.

IV. Fig. VII, is a diagrammatic plan view, showing the relation of thepressing and feeding mechanisms with respect to the web.

In said figures; the side standards 1, have bearings 3, for the maindrivin shaft 5, which carries the cylindrical rolIer 7 and cylindricaldisks 8, and is provided with the gear 10, engaged with the gear 11, onthe countershaft 12. Said shaft 12, is journaled in the bearing boxes14, and carries the cylindrical roller 15, in opposition to saidcylindrical roller 7, and, the cams 18, having high portions opposed tosaid cylindrical disks 8. I

' The bearing boxes 14, 'are' mounted for vertical reciprocation in thehousings 20,

22, whose tension -may be varied by adjustment of the set screws 24,bearing upon the spring caps 25. Said springs 22, normally press theroller 15, to grip the web 26, against the roller 7, so that, saidrollers being continually rotated, said web is progressed by them untilthe high surfaces 28, of the cams 18, encounter their respective opposeddisks 8, and lift said shaft 12, thus raising said roller 15 from theweb 26, which then remains stationary while the rollers 7 and 15,continue to rotate in separated relation, during the passage of said camsurfaces 28. When said surfaces turn out of contact with said disks 8,said roller 15 is again lowered and the feeding movement of said web 26resumed. I

As shown in.Fig. III, each of the earns 18, comprises a hub 30, uponwhich 1s mounted the counterpart leaves 32 and 33, which have the sameperipheral contour as said cams, but are rotatively adjustable on saidhub, to va the elfective circumferential extent of said surfaces 28.Said leaves have slots 35, through which the adjusting screws 36, extendin threaded engagement with said cams, so that said leaves and cams maybe set in adjusted position. As shown in Fig. I; said slots 35 permit alimited adjustment of the leaves 32 and 33, and the cams 18 are providedwith a circular series of threaded apertures 34, wit-h which theadjusting screws 36, may be selectively engaged, to permit furtheradjustment. As

7 shown in Figs. I and II,'said cams 18, and

leaves 32 and 33, which are conveniently formed of cast iron,are-provlded with the steel blocks 40, forming the forward edges oftheir high surfaces 28, and arranged to respectively encounter the steelplates 42, in the opposed edges of the disks 8, so as to resist the wearwhich would deform said cam and disked as if made of cast iron.

Referring to Fig-II, it is to be understood that the cylindrical rollers7 and 15, may be made of any desired length suitable for the width ofthe web which is to be progressed by them, andalthough they may beconveniently continuous throu hout their length, as shown in saidfigure, 1f the web is of uniform thickness; I find it convenient todivide said rollers and arrange them to engage, only the opposite edgesof the web if the latter is printed either with ink or adhesive, becausesuch materials adhere to the roller when junder pressure.

The form of my invention shown in Fig. IV, may be advantageouslyemployed to feed a web which is of different thicknesses in differentregions. For instance, the substantially plane web 45, is formed by acollapsed paper tube, from which series of bags orenvelops'may beformed, said web having three thicknesses of the pa er where thexlatteris overlapped at its me ial longitudinal region; two thicknesses ofpaper which the circumferentially adjustable cams above described, areset. It may be noted that the single thickness of paper forming thelower wall of the tube at said recessed regions 46, is arranged to formthe closure flaps for res ective bags when severed on the dash an dotline shown in Fig. IV. In this form of my invention, the feeding rollers47 are divided and separated as above contemplated, so as to grip saidweb 45 only at its ed es, and, said rollers are conveniently providedwith lateral sectoral flanges 49, which register with said recessedregions 46, of the web, and thus support the latter where notched at theedges. Moreover, the roller sector 50, whose curved face 51, isco-extensive with the longitudinal extent of the single thickness of theweb, and whose radius is slightly greater than the radius of the rollers47, is disposed upon the shaft 53, between the rollers 47, to grip theweb at its successive regions of minimum thickness.

Referring to Fig. VII; it is to be understood that the sector 50, androllers 47 shown in Fig. IV, are op osed to similar members carried by asha t 12, as in Figs. I and II, and that the disks 8 are engaged by theeffective faces 28, of the cams 18, such as shown in said figures.

The modification of the web at successive equal intervals of its length,as above contemplated, and typified by the recessed regions 46 of theweb 45, shown in Fig. IV, "may beconveniently effected by anintermittently operative press, indicated at 54 in Fig. VII; forinstance, by mechanism vertically reciprocatory at uniform intervals oftime, and comprising punching dies 53 adapted to notch theopposite-edges of the web as indicated in Fig. IV. The uniform length ofthe web sections 55 between the successive modified regions 46 thereofbeing determined solely by the chronological-correlation of the movementof the feeding mechanism and the pressing mechanism aforesaid; thedistance between said two mechanisms is negligible unless it is desiredto have said feeding mechanism grip the web in definite relation to eachmodification 46 thereof. However, in the latter case, therelativelocation of the two. mechanisms or, at least, the total lengthof the web betweenthem must be varied in correspondence, with tiepredetermined extent o'f'thc feeding movements of said rollers 47 sothat said total length bears aliquot relation to the extent of saidindividual sections 55. In other words, the distance between the teasesfeeding mechanism and the pressing mechanism, or the extent of the webbetween said two devices, must be varied in corre spondence withvariations in the circumferential extent of the cams which determine thelength of the successive feeding movements. Such relative variations areconveniently effected by shifting the press it longitudinally withrespect to the web of rollers capable of continuous vrotation,

arranged to intermittently engage and disengage the opposite faces ofsaid web, in definite relation to the impressions thereon; meansarranged to effect a relative adjustment between said impressing meansand feeding mechanism; shafts for said rollers; cams on one of saidshafts arranged to intermittently effect the separation of said rollersand release of said Web; and means arranged to adjustably vary theextent of effective surface of said cams in definite re, lation to thevariable positions of said rollers and impressing means.

2. The combination with a pair of 0pposed rollers, capable of continuousrotation and arranged to engage the opposite faces of a web; of shaftsfor said rollers, extending in parallel relation and capable of relativemovement toward'and away from each .other; cams on one of said shafts,having high surfaces with steel blocks at the initial ends thereof;cylindrical disks mounted on the other shaft, having steel plates arraned to register with said steel blocks and e ect the relative separatingmovement of said rollers, and thereby release said web.

3. The combination with means arranged to engage the edges of theopposite faces of a Web having notches at equal intervals along saidedges, comprising opposed rollers capable of continuous rotation, havinglateral projections arranged to register with said notches and supportthe edges of said web at its minimum width; of parallel shafts for saidrollers, capable of movement toward and away from each other; camscarried by one of said shafts, arranged to intermittently separate saidrollers to intermittently shift said web; and means com prising rotaryleaves carried by said cams, arranged to adjustably vary thecircumferential extent of their effective surfaces to vary the length ofthe intermittent movements of said web.

4. The combination with means arranged to engage the edges of theopposite faces of a web having notches at equal intervals along saidedges, comprising opposed rollers capable of continuous rotation, havinglat eral projections arranged to register with said notches and supportthe edges of said web, at its minimum'width; of parallel shafts for saidrollers, capable of movement toward and away from each other; camscarried by one of said shafts arranged to intermittently separate saidrollers, to intermittently shift said web; and means arranged toadjustably vary the circumferentialextent of their effective surfaces,to vary the len th of the intermittent movements of said we 5. Thecombination with means arranged to notch a web at uniform intervals oftime; of means arranged to intermittently progress said web betweensuccessive notching operations, and comprising opposed rollers capableof continuous rotation, having lat eral projections arranged to registerwith said notches; means arranged to effect a relative adjustmentbetween said impressing means and feeding mechanism; shafts for saidrollers capable of relative radial reciprocation; cams carried by one ofsaid shafts, arranged to shift it toward and away from the other shaft,to engage and disengage said rollers with respect to said web, andthereby shift said web intermittently.

6. The combination with means arranged to notch a web at uniformintervals of time; of means arranged to intermittently progress said webbetween successive notching operations, and comprising opposed rollerscapable of continuous rotation, having lat eral projections arranged toregister with said notches; means arranged to effect a relativeadjustment between'said impressing means and feeding mechanism; shaftsfor said rollers capable of relative radial reciprocation; cams carriedby one of said shafts, arranged to shift it toward and away from theother shaft, to engage and disengage said rollers with respect to saidweb, and thereby shift said web intermittently; and, means arranged tovary the effective extent of said cams, to vary the extent of theintermittent movements of said web.

7. Mechanism arranged to progress a web having regions of differentthickness; comprising rollers arranged to oppositely engage the edges ofsaid web; shafts capable of movement toward and away from each other; asector having a-radius greater than the radius of said rollers, arrangedto engage the web at its regions of minimum thickness; and, cams carriedby one of said shafts having high portions arranged to alternate] yseparate said rollers and permit them to engage the web, tointermittently progress the latter in accordance with the effectiveextent of the high portions of said cams.

8. The combination with opposedcylindrical feed rollers arranged to gripa web between them; of shafts for said rollers; cylindrical diskscarried by one of said shafts, spaced from the roller on said shaft; andcams carried at the opposite ends of the other feed roller arranged toencounter said disks and separate said feed rollers during part of theirrotary movement.

9. The combination with a pair of opposed rollers;'capable"'ofcohtinuous rotation, and arranged to engage the opposite faces of a web;of shafts for said rollers extending in parallel relation, and capableof relative movement toward and away from each other; cams on one ofsaid shafts having high surfaces with steel blocks at the initial endsthereof; and, cylindrical disks mounted on the other shaft arranged tobe engaged by said cams and effect relative separating movement of saidrollers and thereby release said web.

10. The combination with means arranged to impress an intermittentlyprogressed web; of rollers capable of continuous rotation, arranged tointermittently engage and disen age the opposite faces of said web indefinite relation to the impressions thereon; means arranged to effect arelative adjustment between said impressing means and feeding mechanism;shafts for said rollers;

cams on one of said shafts arranged to intermittently effect theseparation of said rollers-and release of said web, and formed of aseries of independentl oscillatory leaves each having steel blocks attheir initial ends and means securing said leaves in relatively rigidrelation; and, cylindrical disks carried by the other shaft, arranged tocooperate with said cams to separate said rollers and thereby releasesaid web.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name at Bordentown, NewJersey, this tenth day of August 1908.

GEORGE W. SWIFT, JR.

Witnesses:

THos. E. NEWBoLD, R. H. AARONSON.

high sur aces provided with

